Field testing of alternative carbide edge snow plow blades : [technical memorandum].

PDFTech Report42805CarbidesBlades (Machinery)SnowplowsField testsWinter maintenanceCost effectivenessEvaluationMaineMaine. Dept. of TransportationThompson, BillMaine. Dept. of Transportation. Transportation Research DivisionUS Transportation CollectionThe Maine Department of Transportation uses almost 2,500 carbide cutting edges on its fleet of highway snow plow truckseach winter. This represents almost 9,000 linear ft. of cutting edges and an annual expenditure of roughly $150,000 each winterseason. This does not include the number of regular steel or hardened steel blades used on other types of equipment such asgraders, bucket loaders, etc. The number of replacement blades used in any particular season, and the annual costs for theseblades, depend on the number and severity of winter storms and the condition of the roads. The expected life of a set of carbideedge blades is highly variable. Estimates range from 100 to 500 hours of plowing time per set. Longer lasting could lead tosignificant cost savings